Time is the greatest enemy of all. Even for the generational legacy of the Dutton family, the passing of time takes a toll on their business—and who will be left to continue running the ranch. The biggest revelation on this week's midseason finale episode—the reveal that a breakout of "brucellosis" among the cattle will send half of Yellowstone down to Texas for a year—is simply Father Time wreaking havoc on Paradise Valley. Rip heads south with his crew, which includes Jake, Ryan, Teeter, and Walker. But why Texas? Well, separating the cattle from the infected and moving them down south may be the only way to save the rest of the herd. Plus, there's a little ranch by the name of 6666 down in the Lone Star State as well.
Before we can process Rip and Beth (potentially) separating for an indefinite amount of time, we flash back once again to their time as teenagers. Rip and Rowdy (the cowboy young Beth hooked up with) are on wolf duty when they get into an argument. Rowdy attacks Rip with a knife, and the latter "hit him in the head with a rock, too hard I guess," as he tells John. "He talked about your daughter in a way he shouldn't." Finding Rowdy dead, John and Rip bury the body. Rip vows to be in debt to John for the rest of his life. This is a kind of bond I figured they already shared, since John basically adopted Rip after the young boy killed his abusive father. But now, I guess, their relationship is only stronger.
Back in the present, John and Beth calculate that it'll cost the ranch roughly $1.4 million per month to lease land in Texas to save the herd. "We don't have that," she says. "Why don't you just sell them all now?" She wants the ranch to switch to selling beef instead of cattle, and gives a call down to 6666. Apparently, the Dutton family could be way out of the red if they just sold beef. Beth learns that "we're in the wrong f*cking business," but her father won't change with the times. "I really thought that the airport would be the end us," she tells him. "But your business model will be the end of us."
On the reservation, the President of the United States plans to run two natural gas and captured carbon pipelines under the population's drinking water supply. Seems like a really bad idea! Thomas Rainwater is pissed that there was no word of these plans when the President and Angela Blue Thunder attempted to overthrow his position as the head of the Broken Rock Reservation. In a meeting with Lynelle, the senator tells Thomas that she doesn't support the pipeline, but that there's nothing she can do to stop it. Especially while Governor John Dutton is "playing hooky" to brand cattle on his ranch. "He's our governor too," Thomas tells her. "Maybe you can remind him of that."
This episode also shows a heartfelt moment around the campfire between Beth and Monica. The Dutton daughter tells Monica that she's the only one here who can empathize with losing a child, since she can never have one. Monica says that it's not good to keep that inside, but Beth believes it would only cause more harm if everyone knew. "Anyway, that's not why I'm mean," she says. "I was a real f*cking bitch before it happened." Monica laughs and quips that she's "real got at it," to which Beth responds, "I try."
At the now-weekly Yellowstone cowboy party—which is the "Montana state fair" this episode—the gang is treated to some music from rising country star Zach Bryan. Like a lot of Yellowstone Season Five, this section lasts for nearly all of the last 15 minutes of the episode. The vibes are great despite all of their problems, until the news leaks that half of them will be headed to Texas, potentially breaking up a lot of fledgling relationships.
Meanwhile, Sarah Atwood is slowly molding Jamie into a villain. They've been having sex for nearly three episode now, seemingly never going outside or putting on real clothes. "He's jealous of you, Jamie, and he's scared of you," Sarah lies to him. Jamie wants his father's approval, but "he can't give you that because he resents the tool that he relies on the most because he can't be that tool," she explains. She has him wrapped around her little finger. (And quite easily, at that.) At a meeting with Market Equities, Sarah tells Jamie that Montana will go bankrupt after they sue to state. "Sounds like an impeachable offense," she warns. "This is your chance to become Governor and get our f*cking land back." Ain't no rest for the wicked, but there will be a bit of a respite for the holiday weekend. We'll see everyone back in Paradise Valley soon enough in 2023.
